Extensions & Formats

All files are in some type of format. The format a file is in can be recognized by its extension. An extension of a file is the .whatever after the name of it. Look up at the address bar right now. You'll probably see 'https://computerhints.tripod.com/extensions.html'. 'extensions.html' is a file. Extensions is the name and .html is the extension. There are many many many many different formats. Hence, there are many many many many different extensions. These are the basics:

Web sites:  .html    .htm

Pictures:   .jpg   .bmp   .gif   .jpeg

Animations:   .swf   .gif

Music:   .wav   .mp3   .mid

Video:   .mpeg   .avi   .ra  .rm

Some extensions are better than others. For example, jpg and jpeg images take up little room but are bad quality. Gifs take up more room but look better. Bmp images take up little room and are bad quality. Wav files are huge and only of OK quality. Mp3 take up a reasonably small amount of room and sound almost perfect. Mid files (MIDI's) are tiny but contain no real instruments or voices, just computer beeps. You can listen to midi's here.

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